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The Consumer Electronics Show is approaching in early January, and we techie types are all slouching toward Las Vegas. Much talk will be about the convergence of technology, communications and media.
All sorts of new gadgets will make their debut at the show, but I have to wonder how much the product designers understand what consumers want. Very few of them will set the world on fire the way Apple’s iPod music player did.
I believe the hardware companies would all benefit from a glance at “Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide,” by Henry Jenkins, a professor of comparative media at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This book was ranked 2,839th on the Amazon.com list of most popular books. Not a gigantic
Jenkins dissects a number of entertainment blockbusters to understand how and why they became so popular. He talks about how obsessed fans, all linked by the Internet, fed the buzz around “transmedia” (popular in more than one medium) franchises such as “Lost,” “Survivor,” “The Matrix,” “Star Wars” and “American Idol.” In the case of “Star Wars,” the fans are creating fiction and parodies with the company’s permission. The book isn’t about how to create the perfect convergence box. But there is plenty of fodder for those who want to combine blockbuster content with hot-selling hardware.
“I have seen the word `convergence’ get bandied about a lot, with technology and studio executives talking about it and talking past each other,” Jenkins told me. “I wanted to crystalize it as a cultural process. More power is shifting to consumers. Culture is becoming more participatory.”
If you want to create a fan frenzy around content and ultimately around a piece of hardware, you have to understand the audience, Jenkins said. Then you “open up a playground for them to experiment with.” Just ask George Arrington, the manager of the RadioShack store at Westfield Valley Fair Mall. He says the XMODS Evolution radio-controlled cars sell well because they come with kits that allow kids to modify them to their own tastes.
If you crack down on fan creativity, you run the risk of losing them to more tolerant media/hardware owners. With a transmedia property, there are multiple points of entry, or “touch points,” where you can become familiar with a brand. Your kids could become interested in the movie “Cars,” for instance, through toys at McDonald’s. Jenkins notes that fans are keeping alive some canceled TV shows by viewing the unaired episodes on the Web.
The point is that hardware companies have to take content and what users want to do with it into account. It’s clear that social-networking sites like MySpace and YouTube have become huge hits due to fan-created content. Cell phones that allow people to take pictures and upload them directly to Internet video sites or blogs are fueling the trend.
The difficulty of designing hardware is that it has to be done years before a product ships. But anticipating consumer tastes can be done. The designers of the Xbox 360 at Microsoft anticipated that fans would want to take their own custom music lists and insert them into the soundtracks of video games as they played them. Chip maker Texas Instruments, far removed from the fans, anticipated that transcoding – converting video from one format to another – would be a key feature for its chips, said Greg Delagi, a vice president at TI’s DSP division. Transcoding is now at the heart of what happens on popular social-networking sites such as YouTube as they simplify the process of converting video from one form to another.
Younger consumers have come to expect this kind of thinking about their needs. The music industry had its chance to understand them, Jenkins said, and blew it. They will watch content such as “Lost” on all sorts of devices, and they don’t want to have to pay for that right more than once, if at all.
“Before, a certain type of raging fan, like a Trekkie, was almost an exception at the edge,” said Dave Blakely, director of technology strategy at industrial design firm Ideo. “Now you are looking at the whole world where everyone is a raging fan about something or a particular service.”
Convergence is not just about technologies coming together, like consumer electronics and the Internet. It’s about a cultural change, where users are taking control of entertainment by producing it themselves and sharing it with their friends.
The lesson for hardware makers is to anticipate personalization, the ability to move content from one device to another, the sharing of home videos among family members, and the eventual realization by the consumer that maybe they should be paid for the content they themselves create.
The hard thing is to anticipate a trend that is stronger than a fad, the way Apple did with the iPod. At the same time, fans don’t want to be co-opted. When the big corporations started moving into MySpace with their own pages, a lot of the grass-roots fans started moving out. Logically, a company like Sony with entertainment and hardware divisions should be in a better position to have relationships with consumers, entertainment moguls and everyone else in the chain, leading to blockbuster products.
But clearly Sony has stumbled, and anyone who correctly anticipates where users want to go will have the next blockbuster. As Time magazine suggested in naming “You” the Person of the Year, the content and the devices themselves are nothing without the fans.
“The story of American arts in the 21st century might be told in terms of the public re-emergence of grass-roots creativity as everyday people take advantage of new technologies,” Jenkins writes.
For more information, go to www.henryjenkins.org.
Contact Dean Takahashi at firstname.lastname@example.org or (408)920-5739.


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Matching a similar move from carrier AT&T to offer contract-free iPhones, Apple has confirmed that it is also offering iPhones to customers who request them without contract. The pricing is the same as that offered by AT&T—$599 for the 8GB model or $699 for the 16GB model. Unlike AT&T, which is limiting the purchases to just one phone for current AT&T customers, Apple has stated there are no limits on quantity for the contract-free pricing. The phones are still locked to AT&T for wireless service.
Additionally, AT&T has authorized agents to extend subsidized pricing of $199 for an 8GB iPhone or $299 for a 16GB iPhone to existing AT&T customers still under contract if they sign a new two-year agreement. Retail employees can apparently offer the subsidy for customers that have as much as 10 months left on a current contract, or even more if the customer has an account in good standing and is a long-term subscriber.
These moves come just over a week after Apple previewed its upcoming iPhone OS 3.0 upgrade coming this summer. The offers are most likely attempts to clear out existing inventories of iPhone 3Gs ahead of an expected hardware upgrade to coincide with the release of the updated OS. Availability of the original iPhone became spotty at best around this same time last year, just a couple months before Apple released the iPhone 3G.
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The best restaurants, cafés, breakfasts and brunches in Dubai in 2019 were awarded by Time Out Dubai's team of experts based on anonymous, independent reviews.
Happy to announce the Restaurants that won from La Mer.
Winner – Babel, La Mer
Highly recommended – Makan, La Mer
Winner – Kaftan, La Mer
Highly recommended – Zou Zou, La Mer
Highly recommended – Parker’s, La Mer
Highly recommended – Babel, La Mer
Winner – Masti, La Mer


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Overnight America Podcast: November 22nd, 2013 – Mary Margaret, Ed Bark, Dave White, Jennifer LeClaire, Cheffy Baby
Steve Helling is out on paternity leave with a new baby; so this week People Magazine staffer Mary Margaret sat in to talk about the “Sexiest Man Alive” issue. Television Critic ed Bark joins us […]
McDonald’s Corp. said Tuesday that a key revenue figure rose 1.9 percent in August, driven by a strong performance in Europe. Its Monopoly promotion in the United States helped lift its performance there.
“Why can’t the workers who are on the frontlines, making McDonald’s and all these other fast food industries successful, why can’t they participate in the success?”
More than 100 employees from major national brands like Wendy’s, Hardee’s, and Domino’s will walk off their jobs in a push for higher wages.
Comedian Dimitri Martin most famous for his role in the film “Taking Woodstock” joined Jon this morning on the show. Dimitri talked about his new book and tour both aptly named “Point Your Face At […]
McDonald’s profit rose with the help of its Dollar Menu in the latest quarter. Now the world’s biggest hamburger chain is turning to a pipeline of new menu items to boost slumping sales, starting with its “Fish McBites.”
Police say she was logging payroll hours for former employees, forging the checks and keeping the money.
A new study finds that fast-food restaurant logos are “imprinted” in a child’s brain.
Barnes-Jewish registered dietician Mary Ellen Beindorf says people need the nutrition information available so they can make a healthy choice.
Suspect allegedly held up an employee in restaurant’s parking lot.


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Dubai Economy shut down 26 shops, handed out warnings to 234 others, and fined 14 more for not complying with mandatory precautionary measures for reopening following a period of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the department said in a Tweet on Monday.
Dubai Economy also called on consumers to report any non-compliance to the COVID-19 precautionary guidelines via the Dubai Consumer App available on Apple, Google, and Huawei stores, by calling 600545555, or on the https://t.co/SvGgqnk3hm website. pic.twitter.com/eJaFoRxDg5
— اقتصادية دبي (@Dubai_DED) April 27, 2020
Dubai eases lockdown


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First Third-Party Lightning Cable for iPhone 5Thursday, October 11, 2012
Until now Apple’s Lightning Cable, used to sync the iPhone 5 and the latest iPod Touch, has not been available in a third-party option. Just recently iPhone5mod has launched the first third-party Lightning Cable. iPhone5mod’s cable has all the same features as the one Apple provides but it also includes a docking station and the cable has a backlit feature, that pulses while charging and syncing. The full set including dock is available for $39.90 USD and the version with just the cable is $19.99 USD. Both products are available on iPhone5mod’s online store.


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PUBG Mobile, played by millions of players since February last year, released a giant update last night. The update released on Google Play and the App Store is now available for download.
Played by millions of players on both Android and iOS platforms, PUBG Mobile continues to offer new content to players with its new update. Last night, the production of a new update, the release version announced as 0.13.0 while sharing the new content with the players. With the update, Team Death Match was added to the Evo Field. As it is known, the new game modes would be included in the Evo Field.
Taking important steps for tricks and tricks known as the common concern of all players, Tencent has made the detection of cheat within PUBG Mobile more sensitive and improved further. With the update that made some improvements in the Vikendi map, players can now leave their footprints in the snow and follow their opponents. With the theme of Godzilla, the mobile production gives the players a more interesting look, offering new popularity gifts, ranking rewards and titles.
In addition, a number of improvements have been made in the game.
The Android platform has a file size of 561 MB and the 0.13.0 update has the same file size on the iOS platform.


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Verizon Wireless Officially Announces The HTC Thunderbolt for $250
Just as I predicted would happen if the March 17th rumored launch date for the HTC Thunderbolt proved true, Verizon Wireless officially announced their first 4G LTE smartphone today. As a result of the numerous rumors, leaks, and whisperings, the press release didn’t really offer any new information, but confirmed previous rumors. First things first, the HTC Thunderbolt will be available for purchase starting March 17th and it will be available for $249.99 on a two year contract. In terms of data plan, Verizon customers can enjoy unlimited LTE data usage for $29.99 a month, but this is expected to end when Verizon makes its move towards tiered data. In addition, if you purchase the Thunderbolt between now and May 15, the WiFi Mobile Hotspot service will be included for free. This option allows you to share your 3G or 4G data with eight different devices. Such a service normally costs $20 a month. So, who’s interested in the first 4G smartphone on Verizon Wireless and the first to feature a front facing camera?


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Today Toyota announced a few exciting updates for the 2019 TRD Pro trucks (4Runner, Tundra, and 3rd Gen Tacoma). While some of the updates are fairly cosmetic, a few upgrades stand out as useful.
Planning your 2018 Adventure? You can use tools like the FunTreks Website (and guidebooks/data cards/maps) along with apps like Hema Explorer to get ready for a grand adventure!
We made a short video showing the basic steps =)
Today Toyota USA revealed their latest concept car, the FT-AC (Future Toyota Adventure Concept), and we're interested in something like this becoming a reality.Today Toyota USA revealed their latest concept car, the FT-AC (Future Toyota Adventure Concept), and we're interested in something like this becoming a reality.
As you’ve read, we really would like to keep the #Project4 GX-460 as economical as possible, while providing an upgraded level of utility.
Coming from the 2015 Tundra, the lack of available storage in the smaller GX is quite noticeable. By the time we load adults, children, dogs, and a little gear - we’re packed.
With a constantly growing show, we’re seeing more and more new companies emerge in the aftermarket industry. Around every corner we’re seeing new innovation pushing the boundaries of the automotive industry.
Today we’re very excited to announce Kathy Locke as our new Creative Director.
Kathy’s skill in layout and design and love of Toyota Adventure will help propel Toyota Cruisers & Trucks to a new level of exceptionalism.
Both inside and out, we been seeing some impressive builds and great new product at this year’s SEMA Show. Big, small, new and old these builds can give even a seasoned SEMA attendee some serious whiplash!
Although Toyota strayed away from displaying any off-road vehicles this year, exhibitors around the show still had a good showing for Toyota enthusiasts to flock around.
The popular Expedition Overland YouTube series is entering its 3rd season, featuring their South American travels in the latest examples of the Tacoma, 4Runner, and Land Cruiser.
We're excited to announce a significant change in our editorial team. Beginning with our Fall 2017 issue which will be released just after SEMA Show 2017, Beau Johnston will be stepping down as Editor in Chief and Phillip Jones will be assuming that role.


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Groupon plans to raise between $480 million and $540 million in an initial public offering, or about two-thirds of the $750 million the not-yet-profitable company intended to raise in June.
According to regulatory documents filed Friday, the Chicago-based startup is prepared to sell 30 million shares — a little less than 5% of the company — for between $16 and $18 each, placing the company at a valuation range of $10.1 billion to $11.4 billion, reports Reuters.
It will arrive on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker “GRPN" in early November (The Wall Street Journal says Nov. 4).
Groupon has faced some challenges over the last year, such as losing two COOs, a class-action lawsuit from sales team employees and scrutiny over its accounting practices and long-term growth prospects. It turned down a $6 billion acquisition offer from Google in June.
The company did report a stronger third quarter. Revenues were at $430.2 million, up 426% over the same period last year and 9.6% over the previous quarter. Losses totaled $10.6 million, a substantial improvement from the $49 million it lost the previous quarter. The makeup in losses is largely attributed to a lower marketing spend.


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In an effort to better understand class action trends, we collected and categorized the complaints in cases filed in federal district courts during the month of October 2020.
While these complaints run the consumer class action gamut, the most common putative class actions were consumer fraud lawsuits alleging that a manufacturer's marketing is deceptive or misleading. In addition, as expected, some consumer class actions have focused on COVID-19 in particular, challenging universities' and other businesses' inability to deliver services as promised as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
Below, we detail our methodology for collecting and categorizing these complaints and offer some analysis regarding the current state of play for consumer class actions.
To collect and categorize consumer class action complaints in cases filed in federal district courts in October, we focused on those categories of lawsuits that can fairly be regarded as consumer lawsuits. We did not include antitrust, securities and civil rights actions in our review of October filings.
Once narrowed, we determined that approximately 148 consumer class action complaints were filed in federal court during October. And after categorization, four types of cases accounted for approximately two-thirds of the filings: 34 consumer fraud/false advertising cases; 31 Telephone Consumer Protection Act cases; 23 COVID-19-related cases; and 12 data breach cases.
The remaining cases were a hodgepodge of claims, including actions for breach of specific contracts; actions alleging that college athletes were inadequately warned about or protected from the risk of head injuries; actions under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; actions related to online illegal gambling; actions related to insurance claims; actions related to specific product defects; and actions for invasion of privacy.
As for jurisdiction, approximately half of all these complaints were filed in just seven jurisdictions:
- 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York;
- 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California;
- 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California;
- Nine in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida;
- Eight in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York;
- Seven in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California; and
- Six in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The forums for these class actions are not surprising. With nationwide class actions essentially dead, plaintiffs lawyers typically seek to certify class actions in the states with the largest populations. In addition, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits have issued rulings in the last few years that appear to endorse a more permissive standard for some consumer protection cases, which has likely made those forums more attractive for plaintiffs lawyers.
As noted above, the most popular category of consumer class actions filed in October are false advertising lawsuits, which typically involve allegations that product attributes are misleadingly touted on the front of food or beverage packaging, even if the ingredients and nutritional information on the back or side of the package are accurate.
The theory for these cases can take on countless permutations — e.g., the products are not natural, contrary to representations on their label; the products are not as healthy as allegedly depicted; or the products do not contain as many servings as suggested on the label.
For example, in Prater v. Arizona Beverages USA LLC, the complaint, recently filed in the Southern District of New York, alleges that Arizona Iced Tea products are deceptively labeled as "lite" because the products contain high levels of calories and sugar. According to the complaint, the "term 'Lite' is misleading because it gives the impression that consumption of the Product, when compared to other foods in its class, contributes substantially to the reduction of calories in the diet."
Similarly, in Flaherty v. COOLA LLC, recently filed in the Northern District of Illinois, the complaint alleges that the label on the defendant's sunscreen contains several misleading representations that suggest it provides protection from the entire infrared spectrum when it does not. And yet another complaint recently filed in the Central District of California, Tan v. The Folger Coffee Co., alleges that the label on a coffee cannister misrepresents the number of cups that can be brewed from the product.
Although the overall number of consumer class actions has dropped significantly, activity on the false labeling front has remained relatively consistent, with 38 false labeling complaints filed in October 2019, as compared to 34 complaints filed in October 2020. There are several likely reasons why plaintiffs lawyers are attracted to filing such labeling suits.
First, they are easy to research, file and litigate without leaving one's home. Lawyers can also copy and paste prior complaints, which reduces the transaction costs for filing these cases since the allegations are the same from case to case.
Indeed, many of the lawsuits are filed by the same plaintiffs lawyers, who can easily repurpose previously filed class action complaints without undertaking significant presuit investigatory efforts. For example, Sheehan & Associates PC filed 15 labeling suits in the Southern District of New York in October, advancing similar theories of deception against different defendants with respect to different products.
Several of those complaints — e.g., Collishaw v. Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools and Bradshaw v. Blue Diamond Growers — contain virtually identical allegations regarding the vanilla-based labeling of different products. Notably, a judge in the nearby Eastern District of New York recently denied a motion to dismiss in a similar case involving allegations that vanilla-related representations on the front of soda packaging were misleading.
Second, it is increasingly difficult for defendants to win motions to dismiss in these kinds of cases, and many defendants settle after that point. Thus, these cases are seen by plaintiffs lawyers as a chance for quick payoffs, and even if they proceed past motions to dismiss, they can be litigated relatively easily without in-person proceedings.
As expected, plaintiffs lawyers have also filed putative class actions related to COVID-19 itself. For the most part, these complaints related to COVID-19 allege that, due to COVID-19 lockdown orders and restrictions, the defendant cannot deliver the services promised to the putative classes, in part or at all, and that the putative class members should receive a refund or reimbursement for the undelivered services.
For example, in Adavenaixx v. Howard University, the complaint, recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Howard University imposed certain restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in services not being delivered to the putative class of students who paid tuition and fees, and that the students are entitled to a refund for the undelivered services.
More specifically, the complaint alleges that the university breached its contract with the putative class of students by only offering online classes and not providing in-person services or physical access to the campus's facilities for the use of the students.
Similarly, in Hoak v. United Specialty Insurance Co., the complaint, recently filed in the Northern District of California, alleges that the putative class is entitled to a refund or reimbursement from the insurance purchased for unused ski passes since the ski trails were closed due to COVID-19. And in another complaint recently filed in the Northern District of California, Reynolds v. StubHub Inc., the plaintiffs allege that the popular ticket selling website unlawfully withheld refunds to customers who purchased tickets for shows that were subsequently canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As with the consumer labeling cases, these COVID-19 suits do not require particularly intense legal or factual investigation to file, with most being based on a fairly straightforward theory — i.e., the amount paid should be fully or partially refunded because the agreed service or access to physical space was not or cannot be delivered. Plaintiffs lawyers are also likely attracted to these suits because they present simpler issues at class certification in that consumers are more or less in the same boat when they pay for something that is canceled.
But simpler is not tantamount to certifiable, and plaintiffs counsel might be overlooking the highly individualized facts that underlie these putative class actions, including, for example, any oral representations that were made in connection with the underlying contracts or variations among the contract terms themselves.
Beyond the labeling and COVID-19-related class actions, the October docket for federal courts also saw a steady flow of TCPA-based complaints. These TCPA complaints all follow the same formula: a single plaintiff or a handful of plaintiffs sue a company alleging that it violated the TCPA by sending unsolicited — usually computer-generated — phone calls or text messages to the class.
For example, in Robinson v. WeCompete Inc., the complaint, recently filed in the Southern District of New York, alleges that the defendant violated the TCPA by sending unsolicited text messages advertising its business to the putative class. As with COVID-19-related class actions, lawsuits alleging violations of the TCPA have been — and are likely to continue to be — a major focus of plaintiffs lawyers during the pandemic in light of the relatively straightforward nature of the underlying facts and requested remedy — typically, statutory damages that do not require individualized proof of causation or reliance.
Of course, a fundamental element of liability under the TCPA is that the defendant sent the communication without the plaintiff's consent, which some courts have made clear cannot be adjudicated on a classwide basis. Thus, while it is a fair bet that at least some of these putative TCPA-based class actions will survive threshold motions to dismiss, they might ultimately be doomed by the thorny issue of consent.
Finally, October also saw a significant number of putative class actions filed related to data breaches. Unlike the other lawsuits described in this article, data breach suits can threaten any company, regardless of industry, because virtually every business stores some amount of personal information gathered from the public.
For example, in Saunders v. Collabera Inc., the complaint, recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleges that the defendant, a corporate staffing company, failed to adequately protect personal information collected from employees stored on its database when a third party gained access to, and allegedly stole, that personal information.
In Trandem v. Blackbaud Inc., the complaint, recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, lodges similar data breach allegations, but the defendant is a cloud-based data storage company that provides millions of users — typically nonprofit organizations such as hospitals and universities — with data storage software and services.
We expect that a hotly litigated threshold question in these and other data breach class actions will be Article III standing — i.e., whether the named plaintiffs have plausibly alleged a concrete injury as a result of the data breach. While some courts — e.g., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit — have held that data theft alone can constitute a cognizable injury, other courts — e.g., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit — have required actual misuse of the stolen information for purposes of standing.
But regardless of how the cases play out, one thing seems clear: Data breach class actions are not going away anytime soon. In an increasingly digital world and with online shopping likely hitting an all-time high this holiday season because of the pandemic, the opportunity for data breaches is likely to increase dramatically too.
And, as reflected by the diversity of companies hit with these lawsuits, which span a variety of industries, any company can experience a data breach and an accompanying lawsuit.
As the examples discussed above illustrate, while COVID-19 has shut down most trials and in-person judicial hearings, it has not put an end to consumer class action filings. Moreover, although the overall activity on the consumer class action front has slowed, labeling class actions continue to be filed at a fast clip.
These particular kinds of suits likely remain popular among the plaintiffs bar because they are easy to file and frequently survive motions to dismiss. Other suits are, of course, a function of COVID-19 itself, and lack any prepandemic analog with which to compare.
In sum, although consumer class actions have not been immune to the effects of the ongoing pandemic, they remain a significant part of the current litigation landscape.
Jessica Miller is a partner, Jordan Schwartz is counsel and Anthony Balzano is an associate at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.
The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm, its clients, or Portfolio Media Inc., or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.
 The results for both October 2019 and October 2020 were generated by searching the Bloomberg Law database for class actions docketed in federal district courts with the following associated filing codes: Banks and Banking [*430]; Cable/Satellite TV [*490]; Constitutionality of State Statutes [*950]; Contract - Enforcement of Judgment [*150]; Contract - Franchise [*196]; Contract - Insurance [*110]; Contract - Marine [*120]; Contract - Medicare Act [*151]; Contract - Miller Act [*130]; Contract - Negotiable Instrument [*140]; Contract - Other [*190]; Contract - Product Liability [*195]; Environmental Matters [*893]; Forfeiture/Penalty - Occupational Safety/Health [*660]; Forfeiture/Penalty - Other Food and Drug [*620]; Forfeiture/Penalty - Other [*690]; Miscellaneous ; Other Statutory Actions [*890]; Personal Injury - Airplane Product Liability [*315]; Personal Injury - Airplane [*310]; Personal Injury - Asbestos Liability [*368]; Personal Injury - Assault [*320]; Personal Injury - Federal Employers Liability [*330]; Personal Injury - Health Care/Pharmaceutical Personal Injury/Product Liability [*367]; Personal Injury - Marine Product Liability [*345]; Personal Injury - Marine [*340]; Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice [*362]; Personal Injury - Motor Vehicle Product Liab. [*355]; Personal Injury - Motor Vehicle [*350]; Personal Injury - Other [*360]; Personal Injury - Product Liability [*365]; Personal Property - Other Fraud [*370]; Personal Property - Other Property Damage [*380]; Personal Property - Product Liability [*385]; Personal Property - Truth in Lending [*371]; Statutes: Customer Challenge 12 USC 3410 [*875]; and other . The nature of the search feature in the Bloomberg Law database returns cases docketed in federal district courts as of a certain date, and includes cases originally filed in the relevant federal court, cases removed from state court to the federal court in which they are now pending and cases transferred from one federal court to another. Accordingly, the term "filed" as used herein includes cases removed from state to federal court and cases transferred from one federal district court to another.
 Mantikas v. Kellogg Co. , 910 F.3d 633, 637 (2d Cir. 2018) ("[A] reasonable consumer should not be expected to consult the Nutrition Facts panel on the side of the box to correct misleading information set forth in large bold type on the front of the box."); Williams v. Gerber Prods. Co. , 552 F.3d 934, 939 (9th Cir. 2008) ("We disagree with the district court that reasonable consumers should be expected to look beyond misleading representations on the front of the box to discover the truth from the ingredient list in small print on the side of the box.").
 See, e.g., Jackson v. SFC Glob. Supply Chain, Inc., No. 3:20-cv-01072 (S.D. Ill. filed Oct. 12, 2020); Wong v. Old Lyme Gourmet Co., No. 3:20-cv-07095 (N.D. Cal. filed Oct. 12, 2020); Flaherty v. COOLA LLC, No. 1:20-cv-05964 (N.D. Ill. filed Oct. 7, 2020); Robie v. Trader Joe's Co., No. 3:20-cv-07355 (N.D. Cal. filed Oct. 20, 2020).
 No. 1:20-cv-09108 (S.D.N.Y. filed Oct. 29, 2020).
 Compl. ¶ 8, Prater v. Ariz. Beverages USA LLC, No. 1:20-cv-09108 (S.D.N.Y. filed Oct. 29, 2020).
 No. 1:20-cv-05964 (N.D. Ill. filed Oct. 7, 2020).
 No. 2:20-cv-09370 (C.D. Cal. filed Oct. 13, 2020).
 See, e.g., Prater v. Ariz. Beverages USA LLC, No. 1:20-cv-09108 (S.D.N.Y. filed Oct. 29, 2020).
 Sharpe v. A&W Concentrate Co. , No. 19-cv-768 (BMC), 2020 WL 4931045 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 23, 2020).
 See, e.g., T & J's 5th Down, Inc. v. Soc'y Ins., No. 1:20-cv-06153 (N.D. Ill. filed Oct. 16, 2020); RSV Enters., Inc. v. Soc'y Ins., No. 1:20-cv-06154 (N.D. Ill. filed Oct. 16, 2020).
 No. 1:20-cv-02872 (D.D.C. filed Oct. 7, 2020).
 No. 4:20-cv-07069 (N.D. Cal. filed Oct. 9, 2020).
 No. 4:20-cv-07040 (N.D. Cal. filed Oct. 8, 2020).
 No. 1:20-cv-08691 (S.D.N.Y. filed Oct. 19, 2020).
 See Gorss Motels, Inc. v. Safemark Sys., L.P. , No. 6:16-cv-01638-Orl-31DCI, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 58111, at *11-12 (M.D. Fla. Apr. 5, 2018) ("Whether the issue of prior express consent can be resolved with generalized proof depends on the circumstances of each case. Several courts have declined to certify TCPA class actions after finding that individual issues regarding consent predominated over common questions of fact, while other courts have found that issues of consent did not predominate over common issues of fact.") (footnote omitted).
 No. 3:20-cv-15207 (D.N.J. filed Oct. 29, 2020).
 No. 2:20-cv-03487 (D.S.C. filed Oct. 1, 2020).
 Compare Krottner v. Starbucks Corp. , 628 F.3d 1139, 1143 (9th Cir. 2010) ("[T]he plaintiff has met the injury-in-fact requirement for standing under Article III. Here, [p]laintiffs-[a]ppellants have alleged a credible threat of real and immediate harm stemming from the theft of a laptop containing their unencrypted personal data."), with Whalen v. Michaels Stores, Inc. , 689 F. App'x 89, 90 (2d Cir. 2017) (unpublished) (holding that the allegedly hacked information was limited in scope and rejecting plaintiff's argument that she had standing as a result of the increased "risk of future identity fraud" stemming from a breach that exposed her credit card number and expiration date).
For a reprint of this article, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org.


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The report suggested that Amazon and Google had embarked on a market share contest over the festive season, heavily discounting their smart speakers (in particular their smallest speakers) to the extreme that each sale may have actually resulted in a loss of a few dollars per unit. Other manufacturers announced their own smart speaker products running the Google Assistant, or at least plans to adopt it. The company has further wrote in a blog post that, they will introduce the Google Assistant with companies like JBL, Lenovo, LG and Sony. It seems that in order to accept smart, voice-operated assistants, we prefer separate devices nestled in the corner (or on the boardroom table) than what's effectively the same tech on our phones. The Smart Display does not come with 4G LTE cellular network and it also does not have its own web browser. It offers a customisable night light, plays music and answers "Hey, Google" questions, and also links to other Onelink devices in the home to sound a wholehouse alarm in the event of an emergency.
It has an 8-inch touchscreen display and speakers it says are tuned by Meridian Audio, on either side.
It's nice to see that these features are spreading out across vehicles and becoming less manufacturer-specific - but it'll also make it more hard to figure out who's on the phone, who's talking to Alexa or Google, and who's just muttering to themselves. You can search things like "weather" to find apps that might give you a more accurate weather forecast than the default weather service.
While last year's push was to get Google's smart speaker lineup up to speed, this year's focus will be on the smart display. You can even reserve parking space through SpotHero. You will also get proper recommendations for your favourite contents to watch out and to explore within the display. In the meantime, CES 2018 might be filled with smart products until its final day. The front-facing camera will come in handy for video calling, using Google Duo. The 8-inch model is priced at $199 while the 10-inch will retail at $249 when it goes on sale in early summer.
The displays are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 624 microprocessor. Several large video billboards around the conference centre are dedicated to advertising the Google Assistant. The company may add some more color variants to its lineup in the future.
Eliza Dushku Recounts Sexual Assault Experience on True Lies
While on set for the Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Kramer was responsible for making sure her stunts went smoothly. So begins Eliza Dushku's heart-wrenching #MeToo Facebook post, which she shared early on Saturday morning.
Both displays lack distinct Lenovo or Google branding.
Amazon kick-started the market for smart speakers in 2014 with its Echo device, which included the Alexa virtual assistant. In fact, Cortana will be competing against other assistants this year with more presence on devices.
The market is still growing fast, with smart speakers among the top-selling devices at Amazon.
Google's focus in 2018 will likely be the spread of Assistant to more home gadgets, mobile devices and vehicles, according to Google Assistant engineer and vice president Scott Huffman.


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This latest generation of Hitachi coatings analyzers has been designed to meet the challenges of measuring ultra-thin coatings on small features.
Oxford, UK, 12th November 2019: Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science Corporation launches the OE750 – a ground-breaking new optical emission spectrometer for verifying incoming materials specifications in metal processing facilities.
For XRF analysis of minerals, cement and lubricating oils, the LAB-X5000 delivers reliable results every shift, every test, every time.
Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science recently delivered X-MET8000’s to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
itachi High-Tech Analytical Science Corporation has launched an advanced line of handheld laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysers, known as Vulcan+.
Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science expands its geochemistry handheld analyzer product range with the introduction of the X-MET8000 Geo Optimum
Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science Corporation (Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science), launches a new optical emission spectrometer for the demanding metals analysis in foundries and metal production the FM EXPERT.
Advanced data management and storage service for handheld analysers
Where nanometers can make all the difference, advance XRF coating measurement in your operation with the X-Strata920 SDD version.
Oxford, UK, 22 May 2018: Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science Corporation has launched a new solution dedicated to the field-portable analysis of bunker fuel.
The FT110A and FT150 series EDXRF (energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence) analysers offer new solutions to measuring large parts with complex geometry and measuring ultra-thin coatings.
Oxford, UK, 16 November 2017: Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science launches a new optical emission spectrometer for the demanding metals analysis in foundries and other metals industry: the FOUNDRY-MASTER Pro2
Industrial analysis business of renowned scientific instrumentation company acquired by Hitachi High Technologies Corporation for a consideration of £80m. A new company has been created and intends to expand its industrial analytical solutions offer.
Oxford Instruments has added the X-MET8000 Expert Geo to its range of X-MET8000 handheld XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analysers for geochemistry applications including fast on-site environmental screening, mining exploration, planning and grade control.
Oxford Instruments has launched Vulcan, the fastest metals analyzer with the most advanced reporting tools on the market.
Oxford Instruments launches a new high-performance benchtop metals analyzer for the metal production industry. The FOUNDRY-MASTER Smart has been designed to meet the demands of seamless quality control and offers excellent price-performance ratio.
Oxford Instruments, a leader in analytical instrumentation for the industrial sector, is pleased to announce today that John Kurtz and Wayne Vereb have joined the company to further develop national accounts and new partnerships for OES instrumentation.
Oxford Instruments, a leader in high-technology analytical instrumentation used by engineers, quality managers and inspectors worldwide has made a significant investment in its North American support team (OI Service).
Oxford Instruments introduces a new model to its range of ultra-fast metal alloy sorters. mPulse, the first ever handheld Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) metals analyzer on the market is now available as two options.
Today Oxford Instruments introduces four new gauges designed for quality assurance and inspection professionals to rapidly, reliably and non-destructively measure the thickness of a range of coatings applied to metal substrates.
With a proven track record in metals testing, and almost 40 years of expertise in portable analysis, Oxford Instruments will be exhibiting its comprehensive range of analyzers dedicated to the metal recycling industry at ISRI in Vancouver (April 21-25).
Plant safety, consistent manufacturing quality and the reliable, non-destructive verification of critical parts are set to receive a boost with the announcement of the new X-MET8000 handheld (X-ray fluorescence) XRF analyzer.
Oxford Instruments, a leader in coating thickness analysis, has added several new analyzers to its product line, now offering the most complete range of products available for coating thickness on the U.S. market today.
Got a second? That’s all you need, with mPulse! The world’s first handheld ‘point and shoot’ LIBS metal sorter mPulseTM, celebrates its first year on the market. Now part of Oxford Instruments, mPulseTM will be on show at ISRI Show 2014.
Oxford Instruments, a leading provider of high-technology tools for industry and research has recently acquired Andor. Andor is a market leading supplier for the physical science and life science industries.
Uedem, Germany, 12/11/2013 – Oxford Instruments introduces a new portable arc / spark metal analyser, the PMI-MASTER Smart. It is the only true portable and full range optical emission spectrometer in the market.
New approaches for testing meat are being developed at the Institute of Food Research (IFR) that use molecular spectroscopic techniques, principally nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), to analyse the fatty acid composition of food samples.
David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science visits Oxford Instruments, global leader in the supply of nanotools to research and industry.
Oxford Instruments Industrial Analysis announced today a new technical application report now available for Ag on PTZ ceramic compliant with the ISO3497 and ASTM B568 standard by using the X-Strata920 X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) benchtop analyzer.
Oxford Instruments has configured a new high performance, cost-effective X-Strata980.
The Oxford Instruments’ complimentary online webinars are geared toward providing effective learning and solutions for even the toughest industrial analysis applications and most complex technical dilemmas across a broad range of industries.
Oxford Instruments, one of the world’s leading NMR specialists, has launched Pulsar - an affordable benchtop, cryogen-free NMR analyser that offers convenience without the special requirements associated with superconducting magnets.
Oxford Instruments offers complimentary online webinars that provide effective solutions for even your toughest industrial analysis applications: http://www.oxford-instruments.com/webinars
The new integrated camera allows Oxford Instruments’ X-MET7000 users to accurately position the portable analyser on the samples, store images for future reference and include them in the analysis reports. Available for the X-MET7000 eXpress and X-MET7500
Oxford Instruments’ new mobile spectrometer PMI-MASTER Compact is ideal for inspections, quality control and safety procedures.
Oxford Instruments is proud to launch a new, faster handheld XRF analyser for high performance measurement. The NEW X-MET7000 eXpress delivers the high performance that is needed when measuring trace elements without compromising on time.
The Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Taner Yildiz, experienced a firsthand demonstration of Oxford Instruments’ portable XRF analyser X-MET7000.
Oxford Instruments Industrial Analysis announced a new agreement with NDT Products Ltd. to sell and service the handheld X-MET7000 Series XRF analyzers within Canada.
Oxford Instruments handheld XRF analysers support recyclers of automotive catalytic converters to determine precious metals fast and accurately whilst ensuring environmental compliance.
A large global multinational leader in the metal refining industry chooses Oxford Instruments X-MET7000 handheld analysers to reduce costly downtime and to make decisions on the spot.
As part of the Oxford Open Doors weekend Oxford Instruments displayed its X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyser at the Ashmolean Museum providing visitors an opportunity to have their antiques and objects of interest analysed in front of them.
An innovative new nanomanipulator with a resolution of 10 atoms is generating interest across a wide spectrum of industries. The OmniProbe 400, Oxford Instruments’ latest tool, is optimised for accuracy and high speed.
A large global multinational company in the healthcare industry chooses Oxford Instruments handheld XRF instruments for improved quality control and RoHS compliance.
On July 27 2012, Oxford Instruments successfully held its first China Metal Analysis Forum in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. This event marked the start to a series of metal analysis forums to be held across China within the next 12 months.
Oxford Instruments’ X-MET7500 Scrap Metal Analyser is the ideal tool for reliable identification of scrap metal for on-the-spot sorting and valuation, in the most rugged conditions.
Oxford Instruments’ X-Supreme8000 complies with the new ISO test method (ISO13032) to determine low concentration of sulfur in automotive fuels
New X-Strata920 from Oxford Instruments offers rapid and reliable XRF coating thickness measurement and materials analysis, combining sleek new design with improved stability and reliability, making a truly cost effective package.
The British Museum in London recently offered its visitors an opportunity to have their antiques analysed by Oxford Instruments as part of the Museum’s Science Day on the 18th March 2012.
Oxford Instruments is proud to launch a new faster, lighter and smaller handheld XRF analyser - the X MET7000.
The new FOUNDRY-MASTER Xpert is the ideal cost-effective Optical Emission Spectrometry analyser for foundries and metal producers.
Oxford Instruments introduces the new UVTouch OES probe, an essential tool for PMI (Positive Material Identification) work at high level.
Oxford Instruments and Verichek Technical Services form new strategic business alliance for the sale of X-MET handheld XRF materials analyzers into the Scrap and PMI markets in the USA.
Oxford Instruments’ MAXI X-ray detectors will be part of the launch to the International Space Station on 13th June 2009. X-ray detectors, developed by Oxford Instruments in Finland.
The UK’s Business Superbrand programme has announced the country’s strongest B2B brands.
Oxford Instruments’ launches a powerful, new, easy-to-use EDXRF spectrometer – designed for operation by anyone!
Oxford Instruments is pleased to announce the launch of its new CMI153 and CMI250 Coating Thickness gauges developed for the Paint and Powder Coating Industry.
Oxford Instruments Industrial Analysis announce the launch of the FOUNDRY-MASTER PRO, a new Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) analyser for the metals industry.
Oxford Instruments launches a revolutionary hand-held XRF analyzer with Silicon Drift Detector


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Arizona's biggest marijuana company just got bigger and has plans for major national growth
Harvest Health and Recreation, Arizona's biggest medical-marijuana operator, said on Wednesday it has acquired three shops run by competitor Arizona Natural Selections, giving Harvest 14 of the 120 or so operating retail stores in the state.
The companies didn't disclose the price, other than to say Tempe-based Harvest acquired the licenses for a "non-material" amount of stock in the company, which trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange as well as the over-the-counter market in the U.S.
Marijuana dispensary licenses are worth millions in Arizona today and are poised to leap in value this November if voters approve a ballot measure to allow adult, recreational use of the drug.
Harvest is the biggest backer of the "Smart and Safe Arizona" ballot initiative, which would mostly limit recreational sales to the existing medical facilities in the state.
After voters approved the Medical Marijuana Act in 2010, the Department of Health Services issued dispensary licenses in two lotteries to qualified nonprofit organizations that applied to the program.
While the DHS has a rule that says "a dispensary may not transfer or assign" its license, several large companies like Harvest have acquired control of multiple licenses and DHS has not interfered with those deals.
The deal announced Thursday puts the Arizona Natural Selections stores in Peoria, Scottsdale and Mesa under the control of Harvest. A fourth license included in the deal with Natural Selections doesn't yet have an operating dispensary, and it can be used anywhere in the state, Harvest spokesman Alex Howe said.
Harvest poised to grow even more
Including pending acquisitions, Harvest will now actually have a total of 22 licenses in Arizona, according to the company.
"We are excited to further deepen our operations in our home state of Arizona expanding our cultivation, processing, and retail operations," Harvest CEO Steve White said in a press release.
Harvest is well ahead of Arizona's second-largest dispensary operator in terms of number of locations. Curaleaf Holdings Inc. of Wakefield, Massachusetts, has five retail sites in Arizona.
In Arizona, licenses for medical-marijuana facilities allow a dispensary to grow marijuana both onsite and at one additional location.
Harvest's deal with Arizona Natural Selections includes a 55,000-square-foot grow house in Phoenix and a Willcox farm that has 25 acres zoned for marijuana and a 70,000-square-foot greenhouse, according to the company.
Harvest already had a Camp Verde farm for its Arizona product before the Natural Selections deal.
Expansion occurring across the U.S.
Harvest is expanding nationally as well, with aspirations of cementing its position as the largest retail operator of medical and recreational marijuana in the country.
Harvest has various acquisitions in the works across the nation. If all the deals go through, the company reports it will have the rights to operate about 130 retail locations with more than 1,700 employees across 18 states and territories.
FOR SUBSCRIBERS: Arizona wanted to shut down a marijuana dispensary after several violations. The law wouldn't allow it
On Monday, Harvest announced opening its first Arkansas retail site in Little Rock.
But the expansion hasn't always been smooth. Last month, Harvest sued California-based Falcon International Corp., a large marijuana company it had announced a deal with a year ago. In return, Falcon requested a $50 million break-up fee for the broken deal.
Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at firstname.lastname@example.org or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.


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Due to adverse weather conditions predicted for Saturday 19th next, it is necessary to postpone
the advertised Christmas Market to Sunday 20th.
Time and venue remain the same as advertised
with all the unusual and unique gifts and festive goodies for sale.
All Covid 19 restrictions and regulations observed.
Cork County Council is thrilled to announce that the town of Youghal is set to sparkle with a magnificent Christmas Market on Saturday 12th December & Saturday 19th December in Barry’s Lane, Market Square, Youghal. The markets, organised by Cllr. Mary Linehan-Foley, Mayor of the County of Cork will operate from 11-4pm each day.
Masks, hand sanitiser and social distancing are to be expected but certainly won’t dampen the festive spirit of locals and visitors in this Covid-friendly edition of a Christmas market! The market is set to support and highlight the array of food & craft producers and retailers in the area, giving a timely and seasonal boost to the local economy.
Food lovers will be able to feast on pastries, pretzels and/or confectionery, crêpes and waffles, while families and friends can enjoy a walk through the town centre, which has been greatly enhanced this year with extra Christmas lighting features by Cork County Council.
Local charities will also benefit, with participating stall holders each making a €20 contribution to a local cause.


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Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman doesn't look anything like Santa Claus, but she's carrying a huge sack on her back -- and it's not full of toys. It's filled with the detritus of more than a decade of predecessors' terrible management decisions that have cost the jobs of tens of thousands of HP employees, billions of dollars in shareholder value, and the reputation of an iconic Silicon Valley company.
She's also lugging around the legacy PC business, which has improved only recently because enterprises have finally begun to abandon the now-orphaned Windows XP and buy new PCs for the first time in years. Indeed, strong sales of corporate PCs saved the company from delivering a losing quarter and instead do better than Wall Street expected.
[ Also on InfoWorld: Gartner, IDC, PC sales projections, and other fantasies. | Cut to the key news for technology development and IT management with the InfoWorld Daily newsletter, our summary of the top tech happenings. ]
Despite Whitman's optimistic promises of an end to the misery by 2016, even a mediocre quarter like the one HP reported yesterday looks good only because it didn't contain any really bad financial news or word that her target of as many as 16,000 additional layoffs has been increased. (If that many people are fired, it would bring the total of job cuts since Whitman got the corner office in 2011 to a jaw-dropping 50,000.)
HP is happy that its revenues stopped shrinking
I was hoping (but not expecting) that HP would fool Wall Street and return a big upside surprise. It didn't. Its results and the outlook for the next quarter were pretty much in line with what Wall Street expected. HP recorded sales of $27.6 billion in its quarter ended June 30, up 1 percent from $27.2 billion a year earlier -- a bit better than forecast. Earnings per share were 89 cents, compared to 86 cents a share in the year-earlier period.
It's worth noting that the slight increase in revenue was the first time in three years the company has recorded year-over-year sales growth. "Turnarounds are not linear," Whitman said on an earnings call with analysts and reporters. "Overall I'm very pleased with the progress we've made."
Very pleased? Oh well. It certainly could have been worse.
PCs, of all things, carry the day
It's ironic that the best-performing business segment was personal systems, which is to say PCs. Revenue was up 12 percent year over year with OK operating margins of 4 percent. Revenue from the sales of PCs to businesses was up 14 percent, while sales to individuals were up 8 percent. Notebook sales did the best, with an increase in unit sales of 18 percent.
Whitman said PC sales have been boosted by the refresh cycle following the end of support for Windows XP. That refresh cycle is a positive trend for PC makers, but one nearing its end, she acknowledged.
It's certainly possible that the slump in the PC business has bottomed out, and it's certainly true -- as HP CFO Cathie Lesjak noted in the company's earnings call -- that some tasks are best handled by a PC. But it's hardly an area of strong growth for the future. Given that reality, other segments of the company will have to pick up the slack fairly soon.


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HP Adds Activist Investor Whitworth To Board
Activist investor Ralph Whitworth is joining Hewlett Packard Co's board after taking a small stake in the Silicon Valley behemoth, a move that may cheer many on Wall Street frustrated by the company's recent decisions.
The addition of Whitworth, who co-founded San Diego-based activist investment fund Relational Investors LLC, makes HP's board one of Silicon Valley's largest, with 14 directors.
HP's board has found itself time and again on the firing line since the infamous wire-tapping incident of the 1990s, when a scandal involving eavesdropping on directors and journalists forced then-chairwoman Patricia Dunn's resignation.
More recently, it has faced a storm of investor criticism and shareholder lawsuits over decisions from the hiring of former SAP AG CEO Leo Apotheker as chief executive, to the haphazard way it has communicated its strategy, including a consideration to hive off its personal computer division.
Apotheker was replaced by former eBay Inc CEO Meg Whitman in September.
"HP is taking a proactive approach to upgrading its board of directors in the face of heavy investor frustration," said Brian Marshall, analyst with ISI Group.
CNBC reported that Whitworth has a nearly 1 per cent stake in HP. Neither the company nor Whitworth has disclosed the amount of shares that he owns. Whitworth was unavailable for comment. HP declined to comment beyond its statement.
Whitworth has previously urged companies he owned stakes in to sell or spin off divisions.
His firm pressured industrial conglomerate ITT Corp to split up its defense and water purifying businesses this year, boosting its share price. And it is urging contractor L-3 Communications to divest low-performing units.
HP, in announcing Whitworth's appointment to the board on Thursday, also said that Rajiv Gupta, chairman of chemical materials company Avantor Performance Materials and HP board member since 2009, will be the lead independent director.
"Relational will support the HP board, and the board will nominate and support Whitworth, for the next two years, as long as Relational continues to be a significant stockholder of HP," HP said, adding that it hashed out a separate agreement with Relational.
Whitworth will have to vacate his board seat if Relational's stake falls below 0.5 per cent, according to the agreement, which also stipulates that Whitworth's firm has to vote in accordance with the board's recommendation on any proposal at shareholder meetings.
Whitworth will join the board's finance and investment committee and compensation committee, the company said.


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After clearly waiting for Proposition 22 to pass in California, DoorDash has put in motion plans to go public after filing papers that signaled its intent to do so on Friday.
2020's been a banner year for app-based delivery companies. For example: Uber Eats has seen record-breaking earnings for the company this year (despite the fact that the model still isn't profitable). GrubHub reported $459M in revenue during Q2 2020, a 41% increase from Q2 2019 — adding that the pandemic is a "permanent catalyst" for the company. So it's little wonder why DoorDash — which has already doubled its revenue from the prior year in 2020 — is now finally planning to go public amid booming business.
As reported by KTVU, The SF-based company took the first steps to becoming public on Friday when it indexed documents which hinted at that plan. Talks of the food delivery company going public have been circulating around for well over a year, but DoorDash now seems sure on pushing forward with an IPO — in part because of how the company fits into the new "wave of demand for convenience."
“Technology has changed consumer behavior and driven a wave of demand for convenience,” the company said in a statement to its prospectus, according to the news outlet. “Recent events have further accelerated these trends, pulling the future of e-commerce forward for businesses large and small.”
In the first nine months of 2020, DoorDash's revenue more than doubled from $885M in 2019 to $1.9B — an almost seven-fold increase from its 2018 earnings of $291M. Nonetheless, DoorDash (like Uber Eats) has lost money each year since it was founded in 2013; the company also warned would-be investors losses would likely continue as the company increased spending to expand.
And yes: it's grossly evident that DoorDash waited to start the IPO process until the fate of California’s Proposition 22 was cemented, according to Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives.
“That would have been an uphill battle had Prop 22 not passed in California,” Ives said to KTVU. “That puts a dark cloud in the rearview mirror and really opens the spigot for investor appetite.”
Now passed, Proposition 22 — which, at its core, allows app-based delivery companies to classify drivers as "independent contractors" instead of staffed employees — will allow DoorDash, as well as companies like Uber Eats and GrubHub, to forego giving costly employee benefits to drivers. However, the companies did clear an exception that will give limited benefits, such as health care subsidies, to independent contractors who work at least 25hrs a week.
Had Proposition 22 not passed, companies like Uber and Lyft cited that they'd likely either have to shut down operations in the state or heavily increase service fees on their products. (For a good while, like app-based companies were also considering evolving certain franchise models to side-step classifying its drivers as staff — and thus continue treating them as contractors.)
Ives, as well as other industry analysts, have suggested that DoorDash could become profitable by 2021. And that's likely because of how the pandemic has catapulted sales.
“No industry has benefited more than food delivery,” Ives added. “In a horrific backdrop, a silver lining has been, from an economic perspective, it’s been a huge positive for these workers, drivers, and restaurants that could utilize companies like DoorDash in this environment.”
Court filings from DoorDash have not made clear how many shares it will sell or how much money it hopes to generate by going public.
According to Reuters, grocery-focused Instacart has also recently hinted at going public after picking Goldman Sachs to lead a 2021 IPO at upwards of a $30B evaluation.
You can read the complete IPO filing from DoorDash, here.
Image: A view of general atmosphere at the Doordash booth at 'Night Market' presented by The Los Angeles Times on May 08, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Courtesy of Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Los Angeles Times Food Bowl)


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Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW) -- A Sears store and Sears Auto Center in Aiken will close in late April because its lease was not renewed, Director of Corporate Communications of Sears Holdings said.
The store will begin its liquidation sale on Feb. 7, Howard Riefs said. Store closures are to try and reduce on-going expenses and adjust the asset base.
The store in Aiken has 54 employees, Riefs said.
The eligible associates will receive severance and have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Sears or Kmart stores, Riefs said.


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Assassin’s Creed Unity maker Ubisoft, which recreated the Notre Dame Cathedral in its 2014 game “Assassin’s Creed Unity” has pledged $565,000 in its restoration efforts. The Paris-based video game publisher said Wednesday that it will make its virtual rendition of the cathedral available to those involved in the rebuilding of the church. Plus, they’re also making “Assassin’s Creed Unity” available free to players on PC for the next week. “As the smoke clears on the events that unfolded on Monday at the Notre-Dame de Paris, we stand in solidarité with our fellow Parisians and everyone around the world moved by the devastation the fire caused. Notre-Dame is an integral part of Paris, a city to which we are deeply connected. Seeing the monument in peril like this affected us all,” said Ubisoft. Read more for a virtual tour of Notre Dame in Assassin’s Creed Unity.
“Ubisoft is headquartered in Montreuil, a suburb of Paris, and has studios throughout the world including in Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, Malin, Barcelona and Shanghai. It took the game company’s designers 14 months to create the interior and exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral for “Assassin’s Creed Unity,” which is set in 18th century France,” reports USA Today.


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Definition: This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of January 1, 2012See also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) map
Japan inflation eases, other data mixed in October
Economic Times - 11/28/2014 10:06:38 AM
TOKYO: Japan's inflation rate edged lower in October, highlighting the difficulty Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces in his campaign to overcome deflation in the world's third-largest economy. The core consumer price index ... to pry the country out of ...
German annual inflation set to fall in November, state data suggests
Business Recorder - 11/27/2014 12:23:50 PM
In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state and a bellwether for the national rate, consumer price inflation eased ... economists expected national inflation harmonised to compare with other European countries - the ECB's preferred measure ...
German inflation hits five-year low, keeping heat on ECB
7 News Yahoo - 11/27/2014 4:12:54 PM
The last time inflation in Germany was lower than 0.6 percent was in February 2010. The flash estimate is based on consumer price data for six key German ... Such concerns persuaded the ECB to cut interest rates to a new all-time low and roll out other ...
5 Takeaways on Japan’s Inflation Data
Forex Street - 11/28/2014 2:07:02 AM
The data is here, if you missed it Japan’s fall into a technical recession in the third-quarter has deflated hopes of price increases, a much awaited signal of revival for the world’s third-largest economy The core consumer price index, which excludes ...
Spanish, Belgian Consumer Prices Fall -- 6th Update
4 Traders - 11/27/2014 2:39:50 PM
German consumer prices ... currency area's inflation rate to 0.3% from 0.4% in October. That would make it the 14th straight month in which inflation was less than half the rate targeted by the ECB, of just below 2%. With energy prices falling, economists ...
Good or Bad? Oil Slide Poses Conundrum as Japan Seeks Inflation
Yahoo Finance - 11/28/2014 5:27:28 AM
When a country imports ... Cheaper Petrol Consumer prices excluding fresh food rose 2.9 percent in October from a year earlier, the statistics bureau said today in Tokyo. Stripped of the effect of April's sales-tax increase, core inflation -- the BOJ's ...
India inflation to drop at startling levels in 2015: Walker
Money Control - 11/28/2014 9:52:19 AM
Meanwhile, modest growth figure will give Reserve Bank room to cut rates quickly. However, he does not expect any rate cut in December 2 policy but sees 100-150 bps rate cut in 2015. The recent additional plunge in crude and oil prices is another shot in ...
Petrol and diesel prices may fall as crude oil slumps to 4 yr low
Hindustan Times - 11/28/2014 5:05:59 AM
India’s retail inflation fell to a three-year low of 5.52% in October while the wholesale inflation rate plunged to a five-year low of 1.77%, aided by a sharp drop in vegetable and petrol prices ... Being the world’s fourth-largest oil consumer ...
The Three Countries With The Highest Inflation
Forbes - 5/9/2014 7:43:49 PM
Elevated inflation can be harmful to a country’s economy. Moreover, as prices rise, if wages don’t keep ... In this article, we’ll discuss the three countries with the world’s highest inflation rate. We’ll also include a brief, but important ...
India is world's investment bet as long as RBI, govt deliver
Rediff India Abroad - 11/28/2014 5:48:56 AM
Image: The world ... rate paradigm, and Governor Raghuram Rajan has rebuilt the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s inflation-fighting credentials, we will see sustained multiple expansion for the markets. If India can truly move to four per cent Consumer Price ...
Fixing the Exchange Rate System in Venezuela
Venezuelanalysis - 11/27/2014 2:32:41 PM
Of course, in order to keep the exchange rate stable, the government would have to bring down inflation. But that will be easier to do when the country is no longer ... biggest such adjustments in the world. Now it is prices that must be adjusted.
German inflation hits five-year low in November: data
Expatica - 11/27/2014 1:28:15 PM
The last time inflation in Germany was lower than 0.6 percent was in October 2009. The flash estimate is based on consumer price data for six key German ... Such concerns persuaded the ECB to cut interest rates to a new all-time low and roll out other ...
CHART OF THE DAY: Here Are The Inflation Rates For Every Major Economy In The World
The Business Insider - 1/22/2014 2:55:33 PM
For some context here's a chart of current inflation rates around the world ... the prices of imported goods, both input raw materials and consumer goods, go up. Emerging markets’ current high inflation rates will likely limit emerging market countries ...
Oil prices tank as OPEC leaves output unchanged
Columbus Telegram - 11/27/2014 11:26:34 AM
With U.S. markets closed for Thanksgiving, investors around the world were taking their ... in focus on Friday when official inflation figures for the 18-country eurozone are published. Most economists expect consumer prices to have only grown 0.3 percent ...
Oil Tumbles on OPEC; Yen Slides, Bonds Gain on Inflation
Bloomberg - 11/28/2014 7:14:50 AM
The yen weakened and Japan’s two-year bond yield slid below zero for the first time as inflation slowed ... China’s stock market past Japan’s for the world’s second-biggest capitalization on a country basis. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng China ...


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QR codes will be used as electronic train tickets beginning December 25
Ukrainian consumers will soon be able to use electronic tickets to board public transportation trains around the country. Beginning December 25, consumers will no longer have to carry physical tickets, if they have a smart phone. Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure Borys Kolesnikov has announced that QR codes will be a replacement for traditional tickets that have long been used as part of the public transportation system. These codes will be accepted by the Intercity+Ukrainian Express.
Codes continue to gain popularity in marketing and commerce
QR codes have become a popular tool in numerous industries. They are considered valuable because they can provide consumers with access to information and digital content. QR codes have been particularly popular in mobile marketing because of this. The codes have been used sparingly in mobile commerce, where they can be used to link consumers to web-based payment platforms so they can purchase goods.
Consumers can present electronic tickets to train conductors, or simply print out codes
Beginning December 25, consumers with smart phones in the Ukraine will be able to purchase train tickets through the Internet. These tickets will not have to be printed. Instead, consumers will be able to save a QR code that is generated just for them. This code will represent the information connected to the ticket. Train conductors can verify that these tickets are valid through the use of a mobile access control terminal, which will be able to decipher the information contained within the codes. Those without smart phones can simply print out the QR codes as necessary.
QR codes expected to make transportation system more convenient
Vice Prime Minister Kolesnikov believes that the codes will help make the public transportation system more convenient for tech-savvy Ukrainians. QR codes represent an affordable way to issue tickets to those that rely on the public transportation system. More consumers are also growing dependent on their mobile devices, thus raising the demand for QR codes and other mobile services that will help improve quality of life.


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Milwaukee-based Komatsu Mining Corp has acquired Ontario-based Timberock International Ltd., a manufacturer of drilling and bolting components for underground hard rock mining.
“Timberock’s history of customer driven product innovation and focus on service makes them a great complement to our existing business,” said Josh Wagner, vice president of Komatsu Mining hard rock solutions. “This acquisition expands our range of offerings for drilling and bolting products, and provides exciting product development and synergy opportunities.”
Komatsu acquired Joy Global in 2017 and established Milwaukee as the headquarters of Komatsu Mining Corp. The company is planning to build a $285 million headquarters in Milwaukee’s Harbor District.
A company spokesperson said there would be no local impact from the acquisition. Joy Global’s Milwaukee operations historically focused on surface mining.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.


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The Indian Shopping Centre Industry is reeling under immense pressure as revenue streams have dried up and retail tenants are proposing various waiver/ rental models around license fees and CAM charges amid the coronavirus pandemic. This is expected to have a cascading effect on shopping centres as they will not be to able repay loans to banks, EMIs, interest on these EMIs, minimum electricity bills, property tax, municipal tax, water tax, salaries, and maintenance cost of the mall.
To add to their woes, the lockdown – resulting in zero footfalls and revenue – has unfavourably impacted the employment status and livelihoods of several people (direct and indirect – approximately 3,500-5,000 per shopping centre). The overall working capital cycle has been adversely impacted and business losses of shopping centres are mounting.
And to top it all, now shopping centres are being plagued by insurance woes. In India, under traditional business interruption insurance policies, physical damage to property is the only criteria to trigger business interruption loss, while pandemics and epidemics are specifically excluded. Insurance companies, therefore, are refusing to accept any claims arising out of shutdown.
Explaining this, Sudhir Gudal, Promoter and Chief Distribution Officer, Xperitus Insurance Brokers Pvt Ltd, says, “Mall and retail store owners generally take the Standard Fire and Special Perils Policy, also called as Fire Policy or Package Policy to insure their properties including; Building, Plant and Machineries, Furniture, Fixture and Fittings, Electrical Equipment- HVACs, Escalators, Elevators, Office Equipment and stocks. They also opt for Add on, Loss of Profit (L.O.P) or Loss of Rent (L.O.R) cover to protect revenue income losses.”
“The Fire Policy provides owners indemnity against any material damage loss (physical damage) to their insured property due to any of the 12 insured perils. The L.O.P or L.O.R policy, protects the insured’s consequential loss of revenue, after a material damage loss,” he adds.
Unfortunately for shopping centres, the loss of business opportunity and profits is not covered under various insurance / risk policies which they have bought in the past.
According to Sachin Dhanawade, Chief Operating Officer – Retail & Real Estate, Grauer & Weil (India) Limited, the business interruption insurance covers lost revenues and also the recurring costs of the business while its shut or out of commission in cases of a disaster. “In India, under traditional business interruption insurance policies, physical damage to property is the only criteria to trigger business interruption loss, while pandemics and epidemics are specifically excluded. Insurance companies, therefore, are refusing to accept any claims arising out of shutdown stating that exclusion of pandemics and closure due to this direction does not constitute physical loss or damage.”
Force Majeure Clause
The Government declared the pandemic as a Force Majeure event and therefore the mall and retail store licensees invoked the Force Majeure Clause under the lease agreements to avoid payment of rents. Thus, due to this extended lockdown, although there was no physical damage to their insured properties, the mall owners lost on rental collections and other revenues. The mall and retail store owners sought opinions from insurance and legal experts whether such losses could be covered by the fire policy. However, all the insurance companies opined that the loss was due to Government order compliance, which was an exclusion under the Fire Policy and the L.O.P cover did not pay out these claims because there was no material damage.
What is the Force Majeure Clause
Force majeure refers to a clause that is included in contracts to remove liability for natural and unavoidable catastrophes. There are dozens of circumstances or events that we class as examples of force majeure. War, riots, earthquakes, hurricanes, lightning, and explosions, for example, are force majeure events. The term also includes energy blackouts, unexpected legislation, lockouts, slowdowns, and strikes.
“There have been cases reported where stocks within the retail stores have been damaged by fungal development and dust settlement because the malls have been shut for such a long duration. The damage is due to increased humidity within the premises because the air conditioning was switched off and storekeepers failed to protect their stock by covering them appropriately. Again, these losses are not covered under the Fire Policy because in the said situation no insured peril has operated. Thus, shopping centres and retail industry’s revenue and other losses, as a result of COVID-19 lock down are not claimable under the Fire & L.O.P Policies,” states Gudal.
Contradicting this train of thought, Bipin Gurnani, Bipin Gurnani, CEO Prozone Intu Properties states, “If we look at it from the perspective of any government order, it was Force Majeure as we were forced to lockdown. The insurance companies must come up with some package for compensating people loss of profit or business disruption insurance.”
Types of Insurance Policies
Corporations usually take two types of insurance policies – Material Damage Policy and Business Interruption Policy.
– Material Damage Policy is triggered if there is loss of property due to fire or flood or machine breakdown.
– Business Interruption, on the other hand, only comes into force if loss of profit has happened due to the clauses mentioned under the material damages policy.
Insurers said these claims are not admissible, as loss of profit has not taken place due to any of the above reasons.
3X Increase in Premium Rates for Shopping Centres
Recently, mall owners have also requested a roll back of the recent hike in the insurance premium rates by the General Insurance Corporation of India NSE 4.01 percent (GIC) along with The Fire, Lightning, Explosion and Aircraft (FLEXA) insurance premium rates for shopping malls with multiplex theatres which were raised over 3 times for FY 2020-21.
“We believe such a humongous increase in the insurance premium rates, and the effects of this pandemic is going to have an adverse effect on the industry. Given the likely dual adverse impact of changed business environment and higher costs, we are seeking IRDAI and government’s intervention to help the industry tide through this,” states Dhanawade.
According to Gurnani, the biggest challenge that shopping centre developers and owners are facing in terms of insurance is that the coverage has to be continued without any conditions.
“At the end of the day, this lockdown has been brought upon us by the government. The insurance companies have excluded pandemic/ epidemic part in the policy and they are not recognising this as an act of god or a false bearing which means from insurance point of view if something happens in our premises like burglary, fire or any damage, they can reject the claim. Apart from this, the insurance companies and IRDA must look at having some provision because a lot of businesses have lost money during this phase,” he adds.
Resonating the same thoughts, Shibu Philips, Business Head, Lulu Malls, says, “Shopping Centres are capital intensive projects and there is a huge cost involved to run these centres – whether operating fully or partially. Thanks to the pandemic, the cost of operating has further increased while ensuring a safe and secure environment while the income remains close to zero. Unfortunately, our incomes are not covered by any insurance because of the fact that insurance policies do not cover any pandemic related loss.”
Shopping Centres Association of India (SCAI) has represented its member shopping centres to various governing bodies seeking clemency for Shopping Centre industry due to pandemic COVID-19 as declared by the Government of India. These bodies include:
– Minister of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs
– General Insurance Council of India (GIC), Mumbai Regional Office
– Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
Letter from SCAI
In a letter to both finance ministry and IRDA, the Shopping Centers Association of India (SCAI), has sought insurance companies to reimburse actual recurring expenses incurred by mall owners one quarter after the normalcy under the said insurance cover.
“The negative impact on cash flows in these times of global economic slowdown, coupled with the rippling effect of this pandemic, without acceptance of the insurance claims and compensation from the insurance companies or government support on the losses, it will push us back on the growth achieved in the last 5 years,” said Amitabh Taneja, Chairman, SCAI.
“Considering the gravity of the present situation, IRDAI has vide their notification number IRDAI/HLT/REG/CIR/054/03/2020 dated March 04, 2020 rolled out guidelines on handling of claims reported for Coronavirus disease treatment. It has been clarified that admissible medical expenses during the treatment for COVID-19 including the treatment during quarantine period, shall be settled in accordance to the applicable terms and conditions of the policy contract and the extant regulatory framework,” Dhanawade explains.
“In view of the above, in order to sustain the Shopping Centres and the employment of individuals during these unprecedented and testing times, it is been requested to include/ allow COVID-19 pandemic as a ground for invoking Business Interruption Cover and thereby helping shopping centres to sail through this challenging phase. Implementation of this measure can immensely support the Shopping Centres, which are already stressed due to the prevailing financial conditions, in mitigating the effects of this unforeseen and presently untreatable pandemic,” he adds.
Speaking on the same lines, Abhishek Bansal, Executive Director, Pacific India, says, “Insurance companies will also have to come out with such policies that cover these situations. Enough events happening across the world which have been treated like act of God. Government should cover malls, transport and hotels in one category. Government should also come with a solution or a policy which is covers the loss which these industries are bearing on day to day basis and in future till the vaccination is done in the country. Getting a vaccine is not the solution until it gets to everyone. Till then a special cover should be created.”
“We would urge the government and the insurance companies to create a pandemic pool, so that in future, if it does not cover our entire business loss during the period of closure, at least it can cover the basic cost and save the shopping centres from incurring huge losses,” adds Philips.
“As far as government is concerned government should return some off the taxes we pay. That would be a very progressive way to go ahead and help the shopping centres and insurance companies should come up with a policy which covers pandemic,” concludes Sanjeev Mehra, Vice President, Quest Properties India Ltd.


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Introduction and rise of MOOC
Robots are taking our jobs, with as many as half the world’s population set to be unemployed by 2045 according to some. This kind of fear-fed hyperbole has accompanied the introduction of every piece of new technology since the dawn of mankind. The catalyst for the current panic is the rise of robotics and AI, which could cause massive restructuring and a much more competitive job market.
Speaking to the New York Times in February 2016, AT&T’s CEO and Chairman, Randall Stephenson, said that people who don’t spend five hours a week online learning will make themselves obsolete. He went on to add that: “There is a need to retool yourself, and you should not expect to stop.” Cue online learning for everyone – forever.
The rise of MOOCs
Such is the fast-paced nature of computing that the threat of IT staff especially becoming obsolete is not a new one, but across all kinds of industries there’s a new understanding of – and thirst for – e-learning to capitalise on the new opportunities that tech is creating.
Cue the MOOC (massively open online course), bite-size downloadable video lectures and courses for phones and tablets, often consumed on the commute, or in free moments, on any subject you can think of.
There are now about 4,200 MOOCs offered by more than 500 universities around the world, according to MOOC aggregator Class Central, with the number of students who signed up for at least one course hitting over 35 million in 2015. That’s a doubling in popularity compared with a year earlier.
Anarchy in the classroom
For now, MOOCs form a philanthropic and altruistic movement, but it’s pretty anarchic. Many of the courses are being offered by top professors and specialists around the globe at the big universities, largely as a testing ground for a future where all education will, most likely, be delivered primarily online.
That’s great for learners, but e-courses are beginning to coalesce around particular global e-learning ‘marketplace’ platforms. Coursera and edX claim over half the global market of sign-ups to MOOCs, but other hubs like NovoED, Udacity, Udemy and Memrise are just as good.
The virtual workplace
The catalyst for all this is, of course, technology – and on two counts. Not only has a faster internet and collaborative cloud working meant more remote working and freelancing (so a more competitive job market) and a more globalised economy (think call centres in India serving the US and Europe, and a huge spate of software, IT and services companies that have no physical HQ), but that same technology is also enabling the flowering of the MOOC concept. But faster broadband and mobile internet are just the start. Next comes game-based learning, virtual reality and real-time interactivity over 5G.
(Top Image Credit: Pamela Krewson Wertz)
Classroom VR and low-bandwidth learning
Game-based learning on the rise
Books are fast being replaced by e-readers, but taking a phone or laptop into a classroom is still a big no-no. Not so in the MOOC world, where smart devices play an intrinsic part. For now, it’s mostly downloadable videos lectures and multiple choice testing, but learning by app is fast becoming very similar to smartphone gaming.
For instance, language learning app Duolingo has levels, points and extra lives to help foster an addictive environment that is trying to capitalise on the current pandemic in smartphone gaming. It already has 110 million users. Similarly interactive is Memrise, another language learning app platform based on brain science and memory research that uses a series of images, as well as very regular testing and reminders, to help users more easily recall vocabulary and phrases.
Virtual reality in the classroom
Could VR, which is so often talked-up as the future of gaming, social media and more, actually find its niche in online learning? At Penn State University there’s a proposal to create an immersive, interactive online experience that is capable of teaching core engineering concepts to an entire class of students.
“Through the use of an Oculus Rift headset retrofitted with a Leap Motion sensor, students will be able to use their hands to rotate, explore and dissect a virtual model the same way a traditional student would explore a physical object or prototype with his or her hands,” says Conrad Tucker, assistant professor of engineering design and industrial engineering at Penn State University.
Tucker’s stance is this: MOOCs are presently merely a way of passively consuming more content. With VR, they could be interactive experiences available to anyone in the world with the right hardware (and super-fast internet).
The missing link in all of this for mobile learners is, of course, the rollout of 5G mobile signals, which could offer up to 100 times faster web connections from 2020 or so. It will mean more video and high density content for MOOCs, as well as ubiquitous and instant communications between teachers and students – two virtual reality users on 5G will be able to collaborate as if they are in the same physical location.
It’s also been suggested that blockchain technology could be used to ensure grade scores and past certificates digitally ‘follow’ students throughout their careers in a tamper-proof manner, though the initial phase would require a data entry nightmare to retrofit the entire population’s past academic achievements.
Arguably more important than high-speed education is low-bandwidth learning applications for remote places. Improving access to education in the off-grid world is a problem being addressed by New York-based charity Outernet, which is aiming to become ‘humanity’s public library’ by providing free, unrestricted and uncensored web access for the entire globe.
Available to anyone with its portable, solar-powered Wi-Fi receiver called Lighthouse, Outernet promises free internet from existing telecoms satellites, but is limited to 10 megabytes per person, per day. It’s only a one-way link – no uploads are possible – and it’s primarily designed to push Wikipedia, eBooks and Teachers Without Borders resources to schools in remote places.
Outernet will most likely be used by philanthropic organisations wanting to help off-grid folk in less developed countries, which adds a new dimension to the wider, altruistic MOOC movement already set on creating global high-quality education beyond physical boundaries.
With MOOCs and new tech concepts, education is suddenly entering a period of massive digital disruption. But then isn’t that exactly what the internet was originally designed to do?
Also check out: The ultimate education for video game lovers


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THURSDAY 22ND MARCH 9:30AM - 11:30AM
Brought to you by Marin Software. More information coming soon.
Hear from our panel of retail brands on what the future holds for in-store innovation.
Steve Hewitt, CEO of Gymshark shares the story of one of the fastest growing, most innovative brands in fitness apparel


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The fast food giant and Australian start-up partnered to create the largest range of all natural soft drinks in the market.
The launch of the Next Gen sugar-free range is the largest by an Australian QSR and followed a number of steps that Domino’s has taken in creating a menu that’s better for customers.
The new soft drinks range is free from preservatives, artificial colours and flavours. Domino’s Australia/New Zealand CEO Nick Knight said Aussies have been calling out for healthier alternatives for some time now.
“We know our customers want choice; they want to consume items that are better for them, which is why we launched the Next Gen range because they contain zero sugar and nothing artificial,” said Knight.
“There is an appetite for product choice like this; in testing, Next Gen sold on par with our existing soft drink range, so we are very excited to launch this in our New South Wales market.
“It has been our dream for the past two years to make our entire menu preservative free and we are so close to completing this as 96 per cent of our menu now has no artificial colours, flavours and preservatives and the launch of Next Gen is the next step in this process.”
Nexba was recently awarded the 2017 Product of the Year in the Beverage category, which was decided by thousands of Australian shoppers participating in a survey from leading global research firm Nielsen. The start-up company’s co-founder Troy Douglas said that the partnership with Domino’s was very exciting for the start-up.
“We have been in talks with Domino’s for some time now about developing a range of products that are better for their customers,” said Douglas.
“Crafted by Nexba, Next Gen is delicious, has zero sugar and is naturally sweet so we know Domino’s customers are going to love it.”
The new product will be available in almost 200 New South Wales Domino’s stores from April 3 and is available in both cola and lemon flavours in a 375ml can, with larger sizes to be launched shortly.


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Blockbuster UK has been pulled back from the brink of bankruptcy with private equity firm Gordon Brothers Europe riding to the rescue and acquiring the company’s business and assets. Blockbuster sought bankruptcy protection in January with Deloitte taking over the day-to-day operations and looking for a buyer. Financials were not disclosed, but Gordon Brothers said the 264 stores across the UK and Channel Islands will continue to operate on a business-as-usual basis, saving over 2,000 jobs. When Blockbuster first went into administration in January, it had 528 stores. Supermarket chain Morrisons bought 49 of them and about 200 were closed, BBC News notes. As with UK retail giant HMV, which has also sought bankruptcy protection, Blockbuster has faced stiff competition from online streaming services, which in the UK include Lovefilm and Netflix. Gordon Brothers said it will make “substantial investment” and fully utilize Blockbuster’s “existing trading platform, powerhouse brand and extensive customer database.” It intends to enhance “the customer experience through the use of new product offerings, new technologies and better basic retailing.” Gordon Brothers CEO Frank Morton said, “We acknowledge the industry is in transition; we know that we have a challenge ahead but there is still a market to be served.” In April 2011, Dish Network acquired Blockbuster Inc. in a bankruptcy auction for $320M. Blockbuster UK has operated separately from its parent, which in January said it would close 300 U.S. stores.
Blockbuster UK Acquired By Private Equity Group Gordon Brothers Europe
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Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) has banned the sale of cigarettes and tobacco-related products at the ASUCLA Students' Store, effective this week.
The nonprofit organization, which operates four student union buildings, four store locations and 12 restaurants on the UCLA campus, has also prohibited smoking in all its indoor facilities after March 24, the last day of spring quarter final exams.
According to April Smith, a graduate member of the ASUCLA board of directors, "Banning the sale of tobacco products makes a strong statement about the association's policy of conducting business with a conscience. We're saying that it is inappropriate to profit from a product that contributes to disease and causes thousands of unnecessary deaths every year."
The organization estimated that the ban would cost it $87,000 a year in revenue from cigarette sales.